The present invention relates to an artificial fly particularly intended for use in fly fishing on rivers and lakes.
By the term "fly" as used herein is meant any artificial lure or imitation suitable for use in connection with ordinary tackle for fly fishing. Artificial flies for fly fishing are given their attractive "fishing" appearance by dressing a single hook, a double hook or a treble hook with feathers, hairs and the like in a variety of colours and patterns. In a relatively new type of artificial fly -- the tube fly -- the dressing or part thereof is attached to a tube sleeve such as a piece of plastic tubing, this tube sleeve being positioned around and onto the cast or leader which forms an extension of the fly line, whereafter a treble hook is tied to the end of the cast or leader in an ordinary manner.
The object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved construction of the tube fly which makes it possible to transfer to fly fishing also the good fishing effects otherwise obtained with lures for spinning.
Fly fishing and spinning do in reality represent two completely different fishing methods, each requiring its own kind of rod and specific tackle and its own casting technique. In fly fishing it is the weight of the fly line with its accurately calculated weight distribution combined with the carefully adjusted action of the flexing fly rod, which makes it possible to cast out the fly. The fly itself should, therefore, have the lowest possible weight in order not to interfere with the combined action of the fly rod and fly line. The typical weight of artificial flies thus varies between 0.05 g and 0.5 g. When casting flies as heavy as 1.5 g or more, particularly heavy fly rods and lines are needed.
In spinning and in spoon fishing, however, it is the weight of the lure itself which pulls out the fishing line and thus determines the distance over which the lure may be cast. The lures used for spinning and for spoon fishing must therefore have an appreciable weight in order to permit proper casting, whereas the fishing line should be as thin and as light as possible. Normally the weight of these lures for spinning and for spoon fishing lies between 12 and 28 g., and varies from a minimum of 2.5 g. when used in connection with the lightest possible spinning tackle and up to 100 g. and more for coarse sea fishing using heavy spinning tackle.
From spinning and spoon fishing it is well known that a good fishing effect may be obtained by letting the lure itself rotate in the water, as is the case with devon spinners and numerous other spinners. Through the aid of propellers or vanes mounted at an angle of some 60.degree. to 75.degree. to the axis of rotation, these spinners are given a high rotational velocity which may amount to 40 revolutions per second and more. Such a high rotational velocity is necessary in order to overcome the friction between the spinner and its mount consisting of a swivel arrangements or a metal shaft having glass or plastic beads serving as a bearing in front of a treble hook. Because of the weight needed in the spinner for proper casting the friction between the spinner and its mount causes a considerable fraction of the rotational forces to be transferred to the line itself, thereby giving rise to heavy twisting of the fishing line. For that reason swivel arrangements and preferably also anti-kink devices are needed in order to avoid such twisting of the line during fishing.
Rotating lures of this kind have, however, proved very efficient in fishing and a variety of such spinners have consequently appeared on the market, ranging from heavy cast metal tubes to lighter plastic or metal spinners with metal shafts and vanes for their rotation. A common feature of all these spinners, however, is the fact that in addition to their need for special mounts causing friction and subsequent twisting of the line, their construction results in an appreciable weight with 2.5 g. as a practical minimum. For proper casting of this kind of spinners and spinning lures a spinning rod and spinning tackle is therefore needed together with anti-twist devices.